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Minnesota Brinks Heist
Million dollar brinks heist suspect 1.jpg Million dollar brinks heist5 suspect 2.jpg Million dollar brinks heist6 suspect 3.jpg Real Name: Unknown Aliases: "Big Joe," "Little Joe," "Roadrunner" Wanted For: Armed Robbery Missing Since: March 27, 1990 Case Details: An armed gang has been targeting several armored car companies in Minnesota and Maryland. At 1 pm on April 18, 1989, three men armed with guns robbed two armored car guards in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The men worked together with military-like precision. As the three men took the money from the armored car, a fourth man stopped a van in front of the car, preventing any escape. This man also placed a device that looked like an explosive on the car. In just under a minute, the robbers had stolen close to one million dollars. They then vanished without a trace. The bomb squad was dispatched to the scene. The bomb was carefully removed and examined; it was determined that the device was a fake. The FBI linked this phony bomb to a similar device used in a Baltimore, Maryland robbery three years earlier. In that heist, the thieves made off with over $600,000. The FBI concluded that both robberies were committed by the same gang. In both robberies, the gang effectively covered their tracks. The vehicles they used had been stolen, wiped clean of fingerprints and other evidence, and then abandoned. One year after the Eden Prairie robbery, the gang struck again. On March 27, 1990, the gang went after an armored car in Burnsville, Minnesota, just ten miles away from the last robbery. As one Brinks guard waited in the cab, the other made a cash pickup at a local bank. As the second guard went towards the bank, two of the robbers approached him and ordered him to the ground. The Brinks driver noticed this occurring, and then saw a white van pull up in front of him. The driver of the white van began firing at the Brinks armored car. The Brinks driver decided to flee, striking the white van in the process. The white van's driver fired several times at the Brinks driver but missed. The Brinks driver circled around to see if his partner was okay. Confirming that his partner was uninjured, he drove over and struck the gang's other vehicle. Despite the collision, the gang still managed to get away. Fortunately, nobody was injured. The robbers abandoned their getaway car behind a nearby shopping center. It is believed that they had another vehicle nearby, which they used to escape. A search of the surrounding area proved unsuccessful. A day after the robbery, another one of the gang's stolen vehicles was discovered less than a mile from the bank. No evidence was found that could identify them. Suspect #1 was 6' tall, with blond hair, possible false beard, and would today be in his late 50s. Suspect #2 was 6' tall, 170 to 180 pounds, and would today be in his late 50s or early 60s. Suspect #3 was 5'9", with dark hair, and a mustache and would now be in his 60s. There is no description available for the fourth suspect. None of them have ever been identified or located. Extra Notes: This segment originally ran on the October 3, 1990 episode. Results: Wanted. In December of 1990, a similar armored car robbery occurred in Cheektowaga, New York. The robbers "professionally executed" the robbery, using two vehicles to block the truck. The FBI suspected that it may have been committed by the gang that committed the Minnesota and Maryland heists. In August of 1997, another armored car heist was committed in Minneapolis. The FBI looked into the possibility that it was also committed by the gang. However, no suspects have ever been identified. Links: * Minnesota Brinks Heist at Unsolved.com * Links between Brinks heist, others sought across nation * 'Some thought armored car heist was training' * Unsolved robbery * Unsolved 30 years later, million-dollar Eden Prairie robbery remains a mystery * $1 Million Eden Prairie Armored Car Robbery Still Unsolved 30 Years On ---- Category:Minnesota Category:Maryland Category:1989 Category:1990 Category:Armed Robbery Category:Wanted